License-number-plate holder



May 5, 1925.

1,536,414 R. w. WATTS LIGENSENUMBER PLATE HOLDER Filed Ap iil 25. 1924 INVENTOR ff WWdfJs,

A TTOR NE YS Patented May 5, 1925.

ROGER WILLYAMS WATTS, OF TACOMA, WASHINGTON.

. nIcnNsn-nuMBnR-rmrn HOLDER.

Application filed April 23, 1924. Serial No. 708,511.

To all whom it may concern.

Be it known that I, ROGER W. WATTS, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Tacoma, in the county of Pierce and State of Washington, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in License-Number-Plate Holders, of which the following is a specification.

My invention is an improvement in licensenumber plate holders, and it consists in the combinations, constructions and arrange- F ments herein described and claimed.

An object of the invention is to provide a strong, durable and attractive article which will afford facilities for holding a licensenumber plate for a motor vehicle so that the indicia on the license-number plate will be displayed and the license-number plate can be qulckly, easily and firmly secured in a desirable osition on a motor vehicle.

A furt or object of the invention is to provide an article of the character described which is adapted to hold a license-number plate of a given shape and size, so that not only will the plate be braced, protected against injury ,and prevented from rattling when it is secured in a desirable position on a motor vehicle,"but the appearance'of the plate will be enhanced;

A still further object of the invention is to provide a holder of the character described, which is adapted to have produced thereon desirable indlcia for presenting in an attractive and conspicuous manner data concerning the motor vehicle on which the holder is supported or the owner of the motor vehicle, as for example, the name of the city in which the owner of the motor vehicle resides.

Other objects, and advantages will be apparent from the following description consideredin conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a face view of a holderemvbodying the invention, showing a licensenumber plate therein,

Figure 2 is a transverse section through the holder exhibited in Figure 1, the View being taken substantially along the line 2-2 of Figure 1 with the license-number plate omitted, a

Figure 3 is a face view of a holder differing slightly in details from the holder exhibited in Figure 1, but embodying the same broad invention as the latter,

' Figure 4 is a section along the line 4-4 of Flgure 3,

Figure 5 is a view similar to- Figures 1 and 3, showing'a slight modification of, the holder exhibited in higure 3,

Figure 6 is a section along the line 66 of Fi ure 5,

igure 7 is a face view modification, and

Figure 8 is a section along the line 8-8 of i ure 7. K holder embodying the invention as illustrated in Figure 1 comprises a frame 1 which of still another may be made of any suitable material, such as aluminum, steel or the like, and which may be colored, painted or otherwise finished in order to present a pleasing appearance. The frame 1 conforms substantially ,in contourto a license-number plate of ordinary and usual shape, such as that indicated at 2 in Figure 1. The frame illustrated in Figure 1 is substantially rectangular in outline as is the usual license-number plate for a motor vehicle. The attractive appearance of the frame is enhanced by forming it with rounded corner portions as atv 3. The frame 1 of course is of greater length and width than the license number plate for the use of which it is provided with a continuous marginal bead or flange 4 on its rear face which thus defines a recess or socket 5 for the reception of the licensenumber plate. The frame 1 defines an opening at 6 which is of less width and length than the license-number plate, but is sufficiently large to present to view the major portion of the front face of the licensenumber plate which is disposed in the socket 5 and particularlyto reveal any indicia on the front face of the license-number plate.

In the form of the device illustrated in Figure 1, the normally lower longitudinal member of the frame is indicated at 7 and is of slightly greater width for the greater part of its length than the other or normally upper longitudinal member of the frame, the latter being indicated at 8. The Wider portion of the member 7 is indicated at 9 and it will be noted that this relatively wide portion is merged at its ends by gracefully curved lines, as at 10, into the remaining portions of the member 7 at points equidistant from the juncture of the member 10. The relatively wide portion 9 is provided adjacent to its opposite ends with openings ber 8 also has inwardly enlarged ortions in.

the form of ears 13 provided wit openings 14 for the reception of screws 15 or like fastening devices for securing the frame to the license-number plate.

The frame 1 may be provided with means in the form of lugs, as at 16, extending into the socket 5 from the marginal bead or flange 4 for engaging with the marginal ed e. of the license-number plate in the societ, whereby the license-number plate and the frame will brace and reinforce each other when secured together by the screws 12 and 15 or like fastening devices, and the license-number I plate is, held against shifting in its lane in the socket '5 without any stress on tlie fastening devices 12 and 15.

The relatively wide portion 9 of the lower longitudinal member 7 is provided with a depressed portion 17 in its front face and on the bottom wall of this depressed portion raised indicia or characters are produced, as at 18. These characters may form the name of the city in which the owner of the motor vehicle equipped with the frame 1, resides. The characters stand out in relief on the background which the bottom of the depression 17 provides, and the bottom of the depression 17 and the characters 18 may be painted or otherwise finished in colors which contrast with each other as well as with the remaining portion of the front wall of the frame. i

From the foregoing description of the various parts of the device, the operation thereof may be readily secured. The fastened together frame and license-number plate may be secured in a desirable position I on a motor vehicle in any suitable known manner, as by making the fastening devices 15 or 12 or both, of suflicient length to engage with suitable openings in brackets (not shown) or like supports, such as ordinarily are provided on motor vehicles for the support of license-number plates thereon.

The forms of the device illustrated in Figures 3 and 4, 5 and 6, and 7 and 8, respectively, differ from the hereinbefore described form of the device only in minor details and the following description therefore, will be confined to a statement of the features of the forms of the device illustrated in Figures 3 and 4, 5 and-6, and 7 and 8, which distinguish such forms of the device from that illustrated in Figures 1 and 2. The same reference numerals have been used to designate like parts throughout the several views.

The normally upper longitudinal member, indicated at 20 of the frame 1 of the form of the device illustrated in Figures 3 and 4, is of greater width for the greater part of its length than [the normally lower lo tudina member, indicated at 21. The re athe oppositeends of the relatively wide portion thereof to rovide ears 23 having open-.

ings 24 adapte for the reception of screws or like fastening elements (not shown). The lower member also is provided with inwardly extending cars 25 provided with openings 26 similar to the openings 24.

The form of the device exhibited in Figures'5 and 6 differs from that illustrated in Figures 3 and 4, only in that, in the former the normally lower longitudinal member indicated at 30 of the frame 1, is relatively wide for part of its length and is provided with indicia depressed in the front face of the relatively wlde portion thereof, as at 31. The lower longitudinal member 30 is provided with apertured ears 32 and the upper longitudinal member, indicated at 33, also is provided with inwardly extending, apertured cars 34. The form of the device .ex-

hibited in Figures 3 and 4 is particularly well adapted for application to the front part of a motor vehicle.

In the form of the device exhibited in Figures 7 and 8, the normally upper and lower longitudinal members of the frame 1 .are indicated at 40 and 41, respectively, and are of like width. Each is provided with inwardly extending ears as at 42, apertured at 43 for the rece tion of screws or like fastening devices, not shown). The front face of the frame 1..is smooth and plain in the form of the device illustrated in Figures 7 and 8.

The operation of each of the forms of the device illustrated in Figures 3 and 4, 5 and 6, and 7 and 8, is identical in essential respects with the operation of the form of thel device which is illustrated in Figures 1 an 2.

Obviously, the inventionis susceptible of embodiment in forms other than those which Ill have been illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and I therefore consider as my own all modifications and adaptations thereof that fairly fall within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim 1. A holder comprising a. frame having a and being adapted to permit of the securing of said frame to said license-number plate, and lugs extending laterally inward in the socket for en 'n with the mar 'nal edges of the plate ivv i t hii i the socket to hold said plate against shifting in its place in the socket.

2. A holder of the character described, comprising a substantially flat body substantially rectangular in configuration and having a continuous marginal flange on its rear face, thus defining a socket for the reception of a license-number plate for a motor vehicle, and spacing lugs extending inwardly from the flange for engaging with the plate in the socket to stay the plate and body to each other.

3. A holder of the character described,

comprising a substantially flat body substantially rectangular in configuration and having a continuous marginal flange on its rear face, thus defining a socket for the reception of a license-number plate for a motor vehicle, and spacing lugs extending inwardly from the flange for engaging with the plate in the socket to stay the plate and bod to each other, said body having a relative y large opening therethrough to permit inspection of the major portion of the front face of the plate in the socket and having other openings for the reception of fastening devices for securing the body and the license-number plate together.

ROGER WILLYAMS l/VATTS. 

